TigerTales
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
SPRING 2007
www.stfxss.org
Principal’s
Message
N. Mant, Principal
50 Bristol Road west,
Mississauga, Ontario
L5R 3K3
Tel: (905) 507-6666
Fax: (905) 568-1026
www.stfxss.org
Principal
N. Mant
Vice Principals
F. Furgiuele
G. Scanlon
D Mariani
K. McQuire
Chaplain
A. Minardi
School Council Chair
R. Shields
Superintendent
L. Kazimowicz
Trustees
Luz del Rosario
Anna Abbruscato
Thomas Thomas
As we bring closure to a very successful school year, our school community has been
very adaptive and resilient to change. The spiritual life in our school has been transformed under the leadership of our chaplaincy coordinator. The new model in
chaplaincy has empowered students to be the central focus in our faith based Catholic
School Community.
As a community, we have also adapted to the reductions in funding and met
all our programming and extra-curricular needs. As Catholic educators, we have
always been able to meet the needs of our school community, by doing more with less
resources. Therefore, I would like to personally thank each and every student, staff
members and parents, for making St. Francis Xavier such a vibrant Catholic learning
community.
To our graduating class of 2006/2007, we congratulate you and wish you the
very best in the world of work or post secondary education. We also, thank the
parents/guardians of our graduates for giving us the opportunity and privilege of
providing a Catholic education to those fine young women and men, as they become
our leaders of tomorrow.
I would like to thank Mr. Furgiuele for 5 wonderful years at Xavier. He will be
moving on to become the new principal at St. Martins. Also, Ms. Lewis will be moving
on to Father Michael Goetz and would like to thanks her for her serivces.
To the following teachers that are moving on to new schools, we wish you the
very best and thank you for your time and dedication to St. Francis Xavier.
Mr. Pratt
Ms. Rogina
Mr. McGowan
Finally, I would like to wish everyone in our school community a safe and
restful summer.
Thank you and God Bless!
N, Mant, Principal
“Catholic Education provides our students a purpose and hope for life”
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Chaplain’s Corner
The Chaplaincy Team is organizing a Day of Service in
celebration of the Easter season in the Catholic liturgical
calendar. This day will include volunteering at various
community service placements throughout the Greater
Toronto Area. This is a tremendous opportunity for the
staff and students to get involved in a school activity which
will help them act upon and minister to others during the
Easter season.
The Day of Service will commence at 8a.m. on Thursday
May 24 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School and
conclude at 6p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. At the
conclusion of the school day the students will be picked up
and transported to St. Joseph Church where they will be
joined by students of St. Joseph Secondary School who will
also be participating in the day, and together celebrate Mass
at 5p.m. At the conclusion of the Mass the students will
then move over to the Church hall where they will have
prepared for them a buffet dinner.
FACT SHEET: DAY OF SERVICE
THURSDAY MAY 24, 2007
When?
Thursday May 24, 2007- 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Why?
The Day of Service provides an opportunity for
staff and students to:
• live out their Catholic faith
• Give back to the community for the benefit
of those in need
• Take part in various service projects throughout
the Greater Toronto Area
• Develop their skills as young Catholic leaders
How?
Working with peer leaders, teachers, and chaplains,
students are selected to participate in this special opportunity.
Students will also be required to register for this event and
attend an orientation session.
Celebrating Youth in Christ,
Angelo Minardi, Chaplain
Who?
150 high school students from the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board demonstrating an active
commitment to Catholic leadership and making a difference
in the community. This event is an initiative organized and
implemented by the Chaplaincy Formation Programs of St.
Francis Xavier and St. Joseph Catholic secondary schools.
What?
Day of Service– a full day together where young
Catholic leaders touch the lives of those most in need, giving
back to the community. Students will participate in numerous service projects; from visiting seniors, working with the
mentally challenged, serving the homeless, and building
homes for various communities in need of affordable
housing.
Where?
Local service projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
School buses take participants to various locations where
students will be educated, informed and inspired.
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Make a difference in the life of a child in as little as one
hour a week by volunteering to be an In-School Mentor.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel in partnership with the
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board matches
elementary girls and boys with a caring adult mentor.
Matches meet for one hour each week during school
hours and on school property to share in fun activities
such as playing board games, baking or playing sports.
The result -- increased self-esteem, better grades and
improved relationships with family and peers.
The positive results of this program are truly commendable. Children are in need of a mentor in our schools and
you can make a significant difference in a child's life by
volunteering today. Call 905-457-7288 or visit
www.bbbspeel.com for further information.
Page 2 - Spring 2007
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Page 3 - Spring 2007
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
TigerTales
Grade 10 Students
See Harper Lee’s To
Kill a Mockingbird
at Stratford
By Crystal Lee
On May 11th, 2007, three bus-loads of
grade 10 students and teachers from
St. Francis Xavier Secondary School
traveled to Stratford, Ontario, to see a
production of To Kill a Mockingbird.
As they entered the Avon theatre, they
saw the stage, set up as a sleepy
Maycomb street, adorned with wispy
oak trees, a crooked fence and gray
wooden houses. The play cleverly
condensed a storyline which took place
over a period of three years into a
production of two-and-a-half hours
long. Many of the events and characters from the novel were omitted and
the themes of compassion, parenthood, and compromise were not as
prominent in the play as they were in
the book, but the actors did a good
job revealing the themes of racism
through Bob Ewell’s character in the
dramatic court scne, and the moral
lesson of courage through Atticus and
Ms. Dubose’s characters. The audience
was set up as the jury to the court
scene.
“I left the play realizing the world is
not perfect, but the play gives us hope
that one day, a character like Tom
Robinson will change the world’s view:
‘it’s not a simple case of black and
white…there’s a lot of gray…and most
people are nice once you get to know
them” (Lee, Chapter 23 &31), said a
student in Ms. Tousignant’s Eng
2DB-3 class. “The book is way better,
but the play was interesting, ” said
several students in Ms. Tousignant’s
English 2D1 class.
Special thanks to all the students who
attended, and to the following teachers
who organized and chaperoned the
trip: Ms. Rogina, Ms. Jackson, Ms.
Angeli, and Mr. Amaral.
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Turning Point Essay
Winners in Room 341
For the last 7 years, students in Ms.
Tousignant’s room 341 have won first,
second, third and honorable mentions
at the Learning Partnership’s annual
writing contest. Each year, students at
St. Francis Xavier compete against
over 10,000 students, writing about a
turning point in their lives, that has
taught them a valuable moral and
spiritual lesson. This year, Crystal Lee,
won third place in the Intermediate
level. Ms. Scanlon, our new vice
principal, Ms. Tousignant, her grade 10
teacher and the department head of
English, and Crystal’s parents were
invited to a luncheon at the Hart
House in the University of Toronto
campus to celebrate Crystal’s achievement.
Special thanks to Ms. Rogina and Ms.
Lazaric who helped judge the many
entries in our school. Special thanks to
Mr. Farrell who inspired a student in
his IB class to share his story.
Graduation
Corner
Important Dates:
Friday, June 15, 2007
St. Francis Xavier students of French
and Italian competed in two major
contests during the months of April
and May.
In the Concours d’Art Oratoire held at
the board office Katherine Gimon
took top honours by finishing first in
the grade 11/12 French Core category.
Kartikeya Sinha finished 2nd in the
grade 9/10 FSL Plus category. Sandra
Huynh, David Greaves and Marlena
Basek finished 3rd in their respective
Categories.
In the OATI Italian provincial contest
held at York University Amanda
Coletta finished 1st in the grade 11
students of Italian background
category and John Andres finished
1st in the grade 11 students of non
Italian background category.
Alexandria Albanese and Inaki Albisu
finished 2nd in their respective
categories.
Last Day To Pay Grad Fees - $80
Friday, June 22, 2007
Prom - A Red Carpet Affair
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Commencement Breakfast
and Liturgy 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007
Pick up Grad Gowns at school
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007
Graduation Ceremony - 7:00 p.m.
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Excellence in the
Moderns Department
The Moderns department will take 39
students overseas over the 2008 March
break. The students will be visiting the
French Riviera and the Italian cities of
Florence, Pisa, Assisi, Rome and
Pompeii.
Have a great summer vacation and we
are looking forward to start another
wonderful year in September.
Page 4 - Spring 2007
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Life
Beyond
St. FX
career to be. At times I felt that I was
attracted to the sciences and wanted a
career in medicine, and other times I
wanted to study law and English.
However, the variety of courses at St.
FX allowed me to see that I was both
better and happier in the sciences. This
realization led to my decision to study
Life Sciences at the University of
Toronto. I could not have made a
better choice for myself.
As any grade 12 student has felt, the
final year of high school is both exciting
and stressful. While it is a time of new
beginnings and final goodbyes, it brings
the fear of making the wrong choices
that will affect the future.
In my opinion St. FX is unique because
of its wide variety of extracurricular
activities. The diverse choices that are
available (athletics, the arts, student
government, community service, etc.)
further allow for a chance to discover
new interests, and also help in the
acquirement of skills that will be useful
in the future.
By Barbara Doumouras
St FX Graduate and IB Diploma
Graduate 2006
Students must realize that everything
cannot be accomplished at the last
minute. Though many are unsure about
their future and where they will be, it is
best to use this time that high school
provides to learn and understand about
the different possibilities that are
available. This is exactly what St.
Francis Xavier offers its students: it
gives them the opportunity to realize
their strengths and weaknesses, to
become involved in the school and
community, and, in the end, receive a
clearer picture of themselves as unique
individuals.
When I first entered grade 9, I was
unsure as to what I wanted my future
To provide an example from my own
experience, I will discuss a fundraiser
that a group of friends and myself
organized. After completing a presentation about AIDS in Tanzania and
having an interview with Mayor McCallion about her charity, Hazel’s Hope, we
decided to hold a Christmas raffle to
raise funds for the organization. This
was done in our final year during a time
when we were applying to universities,
and were also very busy with our
courses and other commitments.
Nevertheless, we were able to manage
our time, decide on how we wanted to
run the raffle, and work effectively as a
team to make the fundraiser a success.
Personally, this project allowed me to
Student Services - Scholarship Updates
The Student Services department is very
proud to announce that Merv D'Souza
was one of 20 students chosen from all
across Canada, to win the Wendy's
Classic Achiever Scholarship. Merv's
good grades and long list of involvement
within the school community and within
Mississauga won him this very prestigious
award. Merv was surprised by the news
and was presented a cheque from a
Page 5 - Spring 2007
Wendy's representative in front of his
peers, family and friends in the cafetorium last week. TSN was here to film the
event. Stay tuned to find out when this
exciting moment will be aired.
To find out more about how you can win
money, please go to the school's website
at www.stfxss.org and click on Guidance,
and then on scholarships. There is loads
of money to be won.
understand the disease and the need to a
greater extent, and it also gave me added
motivation to continue my hospital
volunteering (which I have been doing
since grade 10) and to pursue a medical
career. Furthermore, during first year in
university, I applied for a research
position which I will be doing this
summer at SickKids, as a result of a
great desire to play my role in the
improvement of people’s health. This
one class presentation led to a school
fundraiser for a charity, as well as gave
me the confirmation I needed that a
medical career was what I wanted in the
future.
With any postsecondary school, job, or
volunteer position, each application and
interview involves a lot of the questions
concerning academic history, and, to a
great extent, extracurricular activities.
St. FX allows students to handle any
question that will be thrown at them
during an application process.
However, not everyone realizes during
high school and sometimes during
university exactly where they see
themselves ten years from now. This is
normal. Nevertheless, students need to
participate both inside and outside the
classroom to understand themselves
better. It is also necessary to gain
experience that will be useful when one
undertakes a new endeavour. St. FX
prepares its students for anything that
the future will bring, and it makes them
the well rounded individuals that are so
sought after today.
Credit Recovery
May Stats:
- 5 credits achieved through Credit
Recovery (semester two to-date:
34 credits through Credit Recovery)
- 10 credits achieved through
Alternative Education (semester
two to-date: 20 credits thru Alt.Ed.)
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
TigerTales
Washington
Trip 2007
by Ms. DiMichele and Mr. Mazzone
Having planned the Washington,
D.C trip for the first time for Xavier
was truly worth it!!! There were a few
bumpy roads before we left but in the
end the dedicated students who
boarded the bus in the early morning
hour of April 2007 had no idea how
much fun it was going to be. The
students experienced Hershey's
Chocolate
World were
they
learned
how
chocolate
is made,
and were
able to
shop for
everything
Hershey!!!
Our first overnight stay was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, known as the most
haunted place in the United States
where they heard stories of blood, and
existing Ghosts. Then they went to
bed. Gettysburg Battlefield Tour was
the next morning where they learned
about the critical turning point in the
American Civil War with a licensed
guide who took us them through the
Gettysburg battlefields. Then on our
way to Washington, D.C. The very
first stop was Arlington National
Cemetery where we visited the
gravesite of American presidents such
as John F. Kennedy. No doubt there
was a lot of walking. Back on the bus
and onto one of the most secured
properties the Pentagon - headquarters
of the Department of Defense, and
one of the world's largest office
buildings. We had the opportunity to
visit the crash site, which has now been
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
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transformed into a memorial,
where we as Catholic students had
time to pray and pay our respects
to those innocent lives taken by
such acts of cruelty that exists in
our world today: terrorism. We
walked towards the White House
the most visited site in Washington! Observing the Washington's
famous monuments and memorials at night, such as, the Lincoln
Monument, Korean Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the FDR Memorial.
Waiting in line to get into the United
States Memorial Holocaust Museum,
this truly not fun but it was an amazing
site, which
is considered both
memorial
and
museum
detailing the
rise of
Hitler's
Germany
and the
horrors of
World War II. The students had some
free time to visit the Smithsonian
Museums and explore the world's
largest museum complex and research
organization, the Smithsonian Institution. There are sixteen museums in
Washington, DC, including National
Air and Space, National Museum of
Natural History, the National Art
Gallery, Freer Gallery of Art, the
Hirshorn Museum of Contemporary
Art and National Museum of the
American Indian. And of course the
SHOPPING at Potomac Mills Outlet
Mall where we shopped until we
dropped!!! Now that we have been
there and have experienced Washington, D.C we plan to get it running
again for 2008. Next year the iternary
will be somewhat different, with hopes
of an inside tour of the white house
(get a passport or else you can’t get in),
a United States military base tour and a
few other interesting activities. Don’t
worry the free time to shop will be
somewhere in the iternary, that’s a
promise. I am sure that all the
students would agree that the United
States power lies in Washington, D.C
and is quite evident through the entire
city, especially
with all the
homeland
security driving
around. We
hope to see
some of the
same students
and new faces
for Washington 2008, were
we can make
more memories together. Special
thanks to our admin team for giving us
the opportunity to visit a beautiful city.
Also, to all of the Xavier teachers and
supply teachers who covered our
on-calls for the days we were all
absent. And, lastly our 19 students, a
special thank you to all of you and
your parents for allowing you to visit at
a costly expense, and for being the best
group of students to ever travel with.
.....continued on Page 7
Page 6 - Spring 2007
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Feedback
from
Washington
by Jinhee Kim & Kimberly Howald
From the Spartan bus ride to the
overwhelming Holocaust Museum, St.
Francis Xavier’s 2007 trip to Washington was an incredible success. Together
as a group we spent 3 nights with little
sleep, and 4 fun filled days visiting the
US nation’s capital. To kick off the
start, we stopped by Hershey’s chocolate factory following the sweet scent
of delicious chocolate. We entered the
enchanting world of entertainment,
food and shops that were dedicated to
chocolate and went aboard Hershey’s
great American Chocolate Tour.
The first night the group went on a
walking tour of the spooky battlefields
of Gettysburg from the civil war;
Page 7 - Spring 2007
where history came to life and encountered many live experiences with
legends of ghosts! After a bus tour of
the historic battlefields, which we
learned in great detail, we headed off
to Arlington National Cemetery and
paid our respects to John F. Kennedy
and the many soldiers that were in the
military.
Afterwards, we had an opportunity of
a lifetime where we got a tour of the
Pentagon. We visited the memorial
commemorating the September 11,
terrorist attack. As if this was not
enough, our tour of the historical and
political buildings was just beginning.
We walked around the White house
and passed by the National Treasury.
However, nothing
was more breathtaking than the
sight of the huge
Lincoln monument, lit up at
night, and the
reflection of the
Washington
Memorial on the
water front. It
was there that we
stood where
Martin Luther
King Jr. did, and
recited his “I have a dream” speech.
The following day we visited museums
such as those in the Smithsonian
gallery and the National Holocaust
Museum. This museum was an
emotional journey through the past as
we saw and experienced what times
were like for both the Jews and Nazis
during World War II. That night we
went to the Vietnam memorial which
reminded us of all the Americans, and
Canadians who fought and died for
their country.
Without Ms. DiMichele’s hard efforts
this trip would not have been possible.
Her dynamic ideas and motivation has
brought this trip to life. Mr. Mazzone’s
Spartan troops and questionnaires
entertaining the bus ride, as well as
Linden’s great photographic skills, have
kept this trip to be so memorable. Also
Ms. Maguire’s intelligence and Ms.
Larriviere’s kind patience has fulfilled
this trip. It would not have been the
same without these wonderful teachers.
It is through visiting Washington that
one can truly understand the pride that
the people
of the
country
have for the
important
events that
have
occurred.
We experienced these spontaneous historical
figures and events which made the trip
fantastic. I cannot wait to go back next
year and I hope you will join this
adventure of a lifetime too.
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
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Music
Department
PIECES CD 2007
by Mr. Dubiel and Mr. Vespa
St. Francis Xavier Music Dept. annual
concert took place at the Living Arts
Centre on Thursday, May 17. It was a
great success of student commitment
and hard work. The highlight of the
show was the release of the newest CD
entitled “PIECES.” The CD features
over 60 minutes of music performed by
the Senior Band, Intermediate Band,
Gr. 9 Junior Band, Chamber Choir,
Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and the
Guitar Ensemble under the direction of
Mr. Dubiel and Mr.
Vespa.
The CD is currently
on sale – please
contact the Music
Dept. at extension
73109.
On Tuesday, May 29,
the Gr. 12 music class
Congratulations!
will hold the annual Graduation Recital.
This is a free event (donations welcome)
which takes place in room 106 and the
students would like to extend their
invitation to all who love music. For
details, contact the Music Dept.
The plans for next year include participation in a series of local festivals and a
trip to Chicago for the Senior Band and
the Intermediate Band. As the summer
break rapidly approaches, we wish all
teachers and students luck on
their exams and a restful holiday.
Canadian National Math
League Results
by Mr. Kozak
Leah D'Souza
is this year's
recipient
of the
Parent Council
Award
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
This year we had over 30 students
writing the six monthly half-hour
contests from the University of
Windsor in the library and the final
winners in each grade are the
following students :
Grade 9 - Shreya Podder
Grade 10 - Dipayan Chaudhuri
Congratulations to these four who
will be receiving medals. Their
names will be engraved on the
school plaque.
We invite all interested students to
join us next year in October for the
contest. It is a great way to warmup
for all the other math contests.
Grade 11 - Keith Ng
Grade 12 - Haiyang Yue
Page 8 - Spring 2007
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Catholic Education Week
by Ms. Ray
Catholic Education Week this year was a success! Students worked together to create posters, distribute cookies and pamphlets,
and write essays to share their experiences to promote the gift of Catholic Education. This year’s Catholic Education essay
contest winner is Christina Hunter. Her essay, which eloquently presents the many strengths of our unique system, can be
found below. Congratulations, Christina, and thank you for reminding us how fortunate we are.
My Experience in
the Catholic
Education System
by Christina Hunter
In a world where individuals are defined by their differences,
virtually all people long for a place in which they belong, an
idyllic utopia in which they are supported unconditionally.
Humans seek this acceptance within friends, clubs, faith and
any other mode in which common interests are shared. The
Catholic Education System provides such an atmosphere
devoted to utmost quality and personal growth. It applies
fundamental aspects of the Catholic faith to elements of
everyday life, providing a modern context for the timeless
lessons of the Holy Bible. In addition, it has
a beneficial atmosphere that fosters unity
among its students, rejecting intolerance.
Finally, it offers a remarkable array of
religious services, facilitating personal
development and the strengthening of one’s
religion. The Catholic Education System has
been a wonderful experience due to its
integration of spirituality into daily life, the
beneficial effect its atmosphere has on
students’ behaviour, and the accessibility of
religious services that facilitate personal
development.
The Catholic Education System incorporates
elements of spirituality into everyday life, applying the
wisdom of the Scriptures and the principles of the Catholic
faith to current events, personal conflicts, or other taxing
aspects of life that require explanation and security. The
lessons of Jesus Christ should not be confined to the stale
circumstances of the past, but rather kept alive and made
relevant in modern society. By doing so, one is presented
with the opportunity to understand and subsequently
strengthen their faith. This may be done during daily
announcements, religious masses, or within religion class.
Students are required to complete a religion credit each year,
including courses discussing philosophic principles as well as
Page 9 - Spring 2007
the ideologies of other major world religions. In studying
this, students are exposed to other faiths and are able to draw
comparisons between them, promoting both acceptance and
the reaffirmation of one’s own beliefs. The Catholic education system applies ancient messages of Catholicism to
modern life, allowing students to mature in their faith.
In addition to its ability to modernize ancient
themes, the Catholic Education system has a supportive
atmosphere that is beneficial to students. Rather than
holding contempt for differences, Catholicism embraces
other races and religions, creating a unified atmosphere
within the school. Catholicism does not tolerate racism,
exclusion, or any other acts of senseless cruelty. As compassion is an important Catholic virtue, most practitioners
express it freely. This welcoming environment provides
support in times of crisis, offering sanctuary from the
hopelessness that accompanies suffering. The unique
atmosphere found within the Catholic education system is
vital to shaping moral values.
Finally, the Catholic education system
provides remarkably accessible religious services
that contribute to personal development. Introspective religious masses, religion courses, daily
reflections heard on the announcements, the
infectious charisma of a chaplain, and the
presence of a chapel are all remarkable feats that
successfully incorporate religion into daily life.
St. Francis Xavier Secondary School is marked by
the presence of groups such as the SAINTS and
the Salesians, scores of students dedicated to
making a positive impact on the community.
Fundraisers (such as ShareLife, food drives, and
the Relay for Life) are held regularly, promoting both charity
and the rejection of material obsession. The altruistic habits
adopted within the Catholic education system are carried with
its students well beyond their experience in school, shaping
who they are to become.
Thus it is evident that the Catholic education system
provides the application of spirituality into everyday life, a
unifying atmosphere that is beneficial to its students, and the
accessibility of religious activities devoted to personal
development. In a world plagued by the harrowing effects of
injustice, intolerance, and insecurity, the Catholic education
system provides a welcome refuge that presents students with
acceptance and equality.
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
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Teachers Exposed...Mr. Lee
by Andrew Markudis
Who is Mr. Lee?
Background: Canadian, Chinese-Jamaican
Mr. Lee attended Philip Pocock School.
He graduated from Ryerson University
with a Bachelors of Commerce and then
went on to receive a Masters of Science
at Canisius College in Buffalo.
What is Mr. Lee’s favourite cultural
foods?
Chinese, Jamaican foods
What type of music does Mr. Lee
enjoy?
R & B, Hip Hop, and Reggae music.
What is Mr. Lee’s favourite past
time?
His Friends and Computers.
Which subjects did Mr. Lee enjoy
most in School?
Business and Computers.
What was your favourite high school
memory Mr. Lee?
Going to the Cottage in Wasaga Beach
What is your natural hair colour Mr.
Lee and have you changed it ever?
Black, it’s starting to get thinner and grey.
Mr. Lee, if you were not a teacher,
what would you have been?
A business consultant.
What is Mr. Lee’s favourite saying?
“Ah, you’d have to ask my students.”
What was Mr. Lee’s favourite TV
program?
The Wonder Years
What was Mr. Lee’s least favourite
subject in School?
English
Extra Info about Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee has been with Xavier for seven
(7) years now. He will be leaving next
year to teach in Dubai – in the UAE.
“Thanks to the staff and students for your
support and encouragement. I will bring all
my memories and experiences to Dubai.
Hopefully my students in Dubai will feel
the Xavier spirit.”
Mr. Lee
Unity Live 2007
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Page 10 - Spring 2007
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SKILLS CANADA - DPCDSB Competition
Congratulations to all St. Francis Xavier Secondary Participants
at the 2007 Dufferin-Peel CDSB Technological Skills Competitions
Architectural CADD
Bronze
Javraj Sagoo
St. Francis Xavier
Auto Service Technology
Bronze
Rocco Racco
St. Francis Xavier
Baking
Bronze
Marianne Tan
St. Francis Xavier
Culinary Arts
Gold
Nicola Iozza
St. Francis Xavier
Electronics
Gold
Ahmad Qasmieh
St. Francis Xavier
Bronze
Andrian Wong
St. Francis Xavier
Page 11 - Spring 2007
Floristry
Silver
Rachelle Choueiri
St. Francis Xavier
Graphic Design
Bronze
Indad Junejo
St. Francis Xavier
HealthCare
Bronze
Raleine Azurin
St. Francis Xavier
Internet – Web Page
Design
Bronze
Maria Lim
St. Francis Xavier
IT – PC Network
Support
Silver
Tapan Oza
St. Francis Xavier
Robotics - Team of 4
Gold
Calvin Dang, Daniel
Francis, Stan Komar &
Bhavik Vyas
St. Francis Xavier
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Environmental Intelligence
TigerTales
www.stfxss.org
Earth Week
by Abdul
To celebrate Earth Week and to get students
involved in bettering the environment E. I. held a
classroom challenge. The challenge was to gather as
many pop tabs and batteries as possible. E. I.
would like to thank all those that participated in the
classroom challenge. A total of thirty-two pounds
of pop tabs were gathered.
Congratulations go to Mr. Virtue’s class for gathering the greatest amount of pop tabs. All the pop
tabs will go to Erin Oak Hospital for disabled
children to be distributed to Alcan. The batteries
will be properly disposed of. They were collected
because of the danger they pose if disposed of
improperly in a landfill. The chemicals inside the
batteries will begin to escape. Once these chemicals
seep through the soil and get into the groundwater
it becomes extremely dangerous and hazardous to
our health. Congratulations and special thanks go
to Mr. Jacobs’ class that collected 10 pounds of
batteries. E. I. hopes that the winning classes will
enjoy their prize, a breakfast courtesy of Mr. Nixon
and EI.
Where does EI
money from
bake sales go?
by Ivana Mitolinski
ences. All of the money
raised goes towards the world
Scientists predict that polar
wildlife foundation. The
bears will be extinct within 25 organization was founded in
years because of global
1967, and is determined to
warming. Their habitat, the
stop the degradation of the
arctic ice caps are melting as natural environment, and
temperatures rise each year.
hopes to build a future in
Prime Minister Harper's plan which humans, and wildlife
is to reduce greenhouse gases can live in harmony. By
by 20% from today's levels by donating to WWF through
2020. However the
El's bake sales you can make
government's plans are
a positive change, together
rapidly failing to make a
the students of St. Francis
difference. Under this plan
Xavier S.S. can contribute to
Canada will not reach its
the end of global warming.
promised Kyoto commitEl would like to thank
ments until at least 2023.
everyone who has supported
Unfortunately, by then it will the cause. We have managed
be too late to make a differto rais$aiO for WWF. We
ence to the elevated climate
would also like to encourage
change, and the polar bears.
those who have not particiEnvironmental Intelligence
pated to make a donation.
(El) is working to inform
After all, it is human activity
people of the earth's fragile
that is destroying the
nature. El has held a number environment but by working
of bake sales throughout the together, one step at a time,
school year, during lunches,
we can make a difference.
and parent teacher confer-
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Earth Day
Event
by Susan Selwa
Paper, pop tabs, organics and other
wastes…. Where do they go? Ever
wondered what is done with these
recyclable items or even where they
should be placed? Well, if you weren’t
in school on April 18th 2007 during
third period you’ve missed your chance
to learn valuable information and win
cool prizes. EI planned a series of
games to educate Xavier students
about proper recycling followed by
dances, musical performances and
awesome prizes (happy planet organic
juices, pens, travel mugs and lunch
pales). Binny, the organics bin mascot
was our special guest during the show.
The caf was packed beyond belief
with students sitting on the floor in the
front cheering on the breakdancers,
girls’ hip-hop, rapper (Kannav Jaitly)
and our enthusiastic MC, Kathy Go.
Special thanks to everyone involved
especially the sound crew in making
this performance a successful one.
Page 12 - Spring 2007
www.stfxss.org
by Thrneena Curtis
On Saturday April 28 at 9 am to 11:30 am a group
of St. Francis Xavier students went to Frank
McKechnie to plant, clean the forest and reshape
the community. Eve Adams came and joined the
fun, handing out pins, talking to everyone and
even getting in the pictures with us. When it was
time to get to business we all grabbed a shovel,
some gardening gloves and started to plant the 15
trees. The head organizer showed us how to plant
the trees with three simple steps: dig, pull and
plant! To make the trees grow properly and to
make sure that they stay healthy and strong we
covered the trunks with plastic guards so that they
can grow straight and not crooked. To make sure
that the trees would have good and rich nutrients
we sprinkled around the soil some woodchips
around every tress. We also put woodchips on the
pathways.
We ended the day by cleaning the trash around the
area. Xavier students all received two and half
hours of community service for their job well
done. The day was a great experience! We all
helped to make a difference in the community. So
for next year see an El member for details if you
want to help make our community and eco-f
riendly and clean place.
Special thanks to the following students who
participated:
Saskia D'sa
Rosemary Cauchi
Samantha Cauchi
Thameena Curtis
Ayusha Pradham
Dominiqe Angeles
Sannie Loi
Samina Mulam
Thameena Curtis
Renuka Rajole
Supreet Sandhu
Silvia Sebastian
Michelle Lenus
Environmental Intelligence
McKechnie Woods 5th Annual
Spring Community Day
TigerTales
Environmental Intelligence at McKechnie woods 5th Annual Spring Community Day
Page 11 - Spring 2007
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Xavier Rugby 2007
TigerTales
www.stfxss.org
Tigers
Rugby
2007
after a close
first half, they
pulled away
from an
inexperienced
Xavier squad to
win 28-8.
by Mr. Cormier
In mid March, over 60 students
gathered in the Xavier gym at
6:45 am. After a 10 year absence,
rugby had returned to Xavier.
Little did the players, managers
or coaches know that the
rebirth
would be so
wildly
successful.
The early
practices
consisted
of introduction and teaching as all but
two of the players had no
previous rugby experience. Over
the next few weeks, the number
was cut down to about 40 players
with half senior and half junior.
The Xavier varsity team had been
formed but the real test was yet
to come.
The season began in mid April
and the team stepped on to the
field at Cawthra for their first
league game against last year's
first place team without any
exhibition games to prepare.
Cawthra was a strong team and,
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Xavier's had
two weeks to prepare for their
next game
against John
Fraser and the extra time and the
lessons learned from the first
game were evident as they pulled
out to an
early lead.
Eventually,
the John
Fraser squad
took the lead
in the second
half and
barely held
on to defeat Xavier 20-17. If not
for some late penalties, the Tigers
might have won their first game
on that day.
The following week,
Xavier had
their first
home game.
Everything
came
together that
day as the team ran wild in front
of a large group of supporters
and defeated Brampton Centennial 32-12. It was a chippy,
emotional affair and
the players made the
coaches proud with
their discipline. The
winning ways continued the following
week as Xavier
travelled to near by
Rick Hansen and
silenced a loud
home crowd while
clinching a playoff
spot. The 39-21
margin for Xavier
was much closer
than the actual flow
of the game. In the
last game of the season, Xavier
played a winless Gordon Grayden
team and easily defeated them
40-14 with the second and third
string playing much of the game.
With
that win, Xavier finished third in
their division and qualified for
the quarter-finals.
Xavier travelled up to Heart Lake
to face a team that finished 6-1 in
a strong north division. The
Tigers had shown that they could
run and score but this game
would show their ability to win
tight, defensive contests. Xavier
pulled out to an 8-3 lead and then
weathered a long stretch a man
short and intense pressure deep
in their own
end in the
final few
minutes to
advance to
the semifinals where
they would
have a rematch with first place
and undefeated Cawthra.
The would be a different Xavier
team facing Cawthra. They were
seasoned, confident, and no
longer intimidated by the experience of their opponents. Cawthra
scored early but Xavier dominated the rest of the half and
most of the second half to take a
12-5 lead late in the game. A bad
Page 14 - Spring 2007
TigerTales
www.stfxss.org
break and a controversial
referee's decision allowed
Cawthra to tie the game as time
ran out and the game went to
over-time. In the extra frame,
Xavier demonstrated their
superior athleticism and physical
play to score twice and advance
to the championship game with a
22-12 victory. They had made
history: No other Xavier team
had ever made it to the championship game in their first year of
existence.
In the
final,
Xavier
would
face a
powerful
Bramalea
squad at
the
Oakville Rugby Club. They were
9-0 and considered to be as
strong as any of the tier 1 teams.
They proved this in the first half
as they raced out to an early 21-5
lead. Just when it looked like
Page 15 - Spring 2007
shocking rugby observers all
season. A try
late in the first half and another
try and conversion early in the
second suddenly made it a game.
They were down
21-17 and took
control of the play.
They almost broke
through to take the
lead on numerous
occasions
and Bramalea had to dig
down deeper than they
ever had before just to
keep the Tigers from
scoring again. Just when it
looked like the pressure
would pay off, Xavier was
once again hit with a bad
break and Bramalea scored
against the flow of play to
increase their lead. This
time it was simply too
much for the Tigers to
overcome and Bramalea
scored one last time to
with the game by a 31-17
score that was by no
means an indication of how close
these two teams were in quality.
In the medal presentation, the
convener commented on how
impressed the entire league was
with the amazing progress of
Xavier. He also
commented that the
two teams in the final
were easily the peers of
those teams that played
for the tier 1 championship and a berth in
OFSAA the week
before.
The Xavier players,
while disappointed with the loss
in the championship game, were
able to appreciate just how much
they had accomplished in a few
short months. They had won the
ROPSSAA silver medal after
starting the season with no
experience. More importantly,
they had revived the rugby
culture at Xavier and created an
unbelievable legacy for future
Xavier rugby squads to emulate.
Xavier Rugby 2007
Xavier would
crumble against
such a talented
squad, they
demonstrated
once again why
they had been
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
TigerTales
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Xavier Rugby 2007
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SECONDARY SCHOOL
Page 16 - Spring 2007